Protected By the Monster

I didn’t deserve sympathy. Hell, I didn’t know if that’s what I wanted.

Maybe I just wanted her to look at me like a person, without a hint of fear in her eyes.

That wasn’t happening though. And I’d have to be okay with it.

Because there was still the desire, mixed with the fear, and I’d take that.

As I sipped my coffee, my phone began to vibrate on the table. I walked over, picked it up, saw Steven’s name on the screen.

“Hello,” I said. “What’s up, boss?”

“Morning,” Steven said. “I was wondering if you’d be awake.”

“I know the deal. Up early, get shit done.”

He snorted. “You’re not working for my crew right now, so I figured you’d take a vacation.”

“Not how I roll,” I said. “Besides, I’m responsible for the girl here.”

“How’s that going?”

“About as well as you’d expect.” I put my mug down and sat in a chair, the legs creaking under my weight. “She hates my guts and already almost got herself killed.”

He laughed. “Sounds about right.”

“But otherwise, we’re having fun.”

“Well, listen, I’ve got something for you.”

“What’s that?”

He cleared his throat and I heard some noise in the background. I figured it was the bakery, which was confirmed when I heard Sergio talking again, close this time, loud enough that I recognized his cadence. Steven told him to fuck off, laughed a little, something dragged against the receiver and made static noise.

“Sorry,” he said. “Sergio being a dick.”

“Tell him I said hey.”

“Will do.” He let out a breath like he was sitting down. “Look, so here’s the deal. I got word of another nest, a little infestation up in North Philly. Near Temple, actually.”

“Really?” I asked. “The Jalisco living near a bunch of college kids?”

“They probably think we’ll steer clear,” he said. “And those Temple cops are no joke.”

“Third biggest police force in the state,” I said. “Fucked me up once or twice.”

“We’ve all been there,” he said. “But listen, we can hit them hard, clear out the rats. Who knows, maybe the Jalisco that are out hunting you are staying there.”

I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “I’m not sure I can take part,” I said.

“Run it by the Don,” he said. “You don’t have to come if you can’t leave the girl. But run it by the Don anyway and see what he says.”

“You can always do that, you know.”

“Nah,” he said. “You take this one. It’ll win you some points if it works out.”

“And I’ll get blamed if it doesn’t.”

“Hazards of the business, but come on, little brother. When have I ever steered you wrong?”

“That’s the sort of shit people say in movies right before something bad happens.”

He laughed at that. “Yeah, okay,” he said. “But it’s true. So think about it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Tell the girl I said hey. You fuck her yet?”

“Not my style,” I said.

“Oh, right. Your style is not fucking her. I forgot.”

“How about you worry about fucking yourself and we’ll call it even.”

He laughed again and hung up.

I shook my head, tossing the phone onto the table. I heard a noise in the doorway and looked up with a start.

Clair stood there, leaning against the doorframe. She wore a loose, baggy white t-shirt and a pair of small shorts, almost completely lost under the shirt.

“Didn’t see you there,” I said.

“Who was that?”

“Steven.” I picked up my coffee and sipped it. “My boss.”

“Oh, right.” She shifted a little bit, her eyes glancing over to the coffee maker. “Can I have some?”

“You don’t need to ask,” I said, and got the feeling that she was being awkward around me. Probably because my kiss knocked her head over heels last night and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.

She walked over, got coffee, leaned against the counter.

“What were you two talking about?”

I gave her a look. “You don’t want to know.”

“It was about me. I heard that much.”

I smirked a little. “He was asking me if you were any good in bed.”

She turned red, a little blush coming across her cheeks. “You don’t know whether I am or not,” she said.

“He still asked.”

“God, you’re such an asshole, you know that?” She pushed off the counter and went to storm out.

“Hold on,” I said. “Wait. He told me about a Jalisco safe house he wants to hit.”

“Really?” she asked, lingering in the middle of the kitchen.

“Don’t look so surprised,” I said. “That’s what we do.”

“But you’re going to attack them for me.”

I shook my head. “Not exactly,” I said. “We’ve been warring with them since before you came on the scene, little girl.”

She glared at me. “Don’t call me that.”

“Whatever you say. But look, he wants me to go to the Don about it. Wants me to ask permission.” I leaned forward, putting my coffee mug down, and stared into her eyes. “But I thought I’d ask your permission first.”